Books
I admit it. I am a fan of those atrocious Italian cannibal movies. Especially the notorious Cannibal Holocaust, which I consider to be among the most effective and terrifying horror movies ever made.

The animal cruelty doesn't even really bother me. It is depicted in a way that emulates real survival in the wilderness. I think people who frequent McDonald's or enjoy their favorite pigmeat on a biscuit breakfast are contributing to more atrocities than are featured in Cannibal Holocaust or Ferox. But that's just my opinion.

Sadly, I wasn't a fan of Cesare's Video Night. I think it was an inspired premise, but I felt that the execution didn't fulfill its promise, and I also felt that its bodysnatching plot was tired.

I didn't hate Video Night, and I certainly didn't count Cesare out as a writer. Clearly his heart is in the right place.

Then I heard about Tribesmen, and when I saw the asskicking cover you see to your right, I knew that I had to read it.

Cesare sure knows his stuff when it comes to this nasty subgenre. Tribesmen feels totally authentic, and its cast of characters are inspired. He does not flinch when it comes to the violence that is the core of these stories.

If I have a complaint, it is that Tribesmen is too short. The length of any piece of fiction should be dictated by the demands of its story, and while the novella is a good format for horror, I wanted more out of Tribesmen. More backstory for the people in it, and perhaps a more fleshed-out ending. I'm certainly not suggesting that Tribesmen be an eight-hundred page epic, but another hundred pages would have made it a more satisfying experience in my opinion.

Again, I am impressed by the passion in Adam Cesare's work, and I see a tremendous amount of potential in it. I will continue to read him, and I expect to see very good things in the future.


Review by Mark Sieber

No comments

The author does not allow comments to this entry